York County Edition
July 2013
Vol. 14 No. 7
Life’s Second Draft Widowed Journalist Encourages Healing with Writing Circle By Chelsea Peifer Sometimes you create a life you’ve dreamed of and worked for, and something comes along that changes everything. In the aftermath, a person can choose to give up and stay put or to keep going forward, to find new meaning in a life with different circumstances. As a writer and journalist, Susan Weidener had not only heard the stories of people from all walks of life, but she had also articulated and retold their stories so others could hear and understand. Writing had always been a way for Weidener to connect with others and to nurture her own soul. So when Weidener was 44 and lost her husband—and love of her life—to a seven-year battle with cancer, she turned to writing as she chose to move forward. Weidener and her husband, John Cavalieri, had two sons, who were ages 7 and 11 at the time John passed away. “There were all of these messages then—and still are—that a single woman can’t raise boys alone,” said Weidener. “It’s not true. All a child needs is one charismatic adult in his or her life.” Weidener’s perspective on single parenting might sound like effortless perseverance, but she applies her hard work ethic to whatever she approaches, embracing the reality that one person can make a difference in a person’s life. please see DRAFT page 14 Susan Weidener, creator of the Women’s Writing Circle, inside the bookshop where the group meets monthly.
Inside:
Crafting the Roads and History of New Hampshire page 8
Hospital Gowns Get a Redesign page 15
The Green Mountain Gardener
A Garden Worth 10 Scents Dr. Leonard Perry ow do you describe scents or fragrance in flowers? There are probably as many ways as there are people, scent being very subjective. It was in the Victorian times at the end of the 19th century that fragrance in the garden became really popular for just that, not for any functional use. Prior to that time, fragrance was used medicinally and to mask unpleasant odors. It was also at this time (1893) that scents were first categorized by Count von Marilaun into six groups. Since then, these have been expanded to 10 scent groups, all of which are used for flowers. These groups are based on common essential oils for each group of plants. It is the volatile compounds from these oils that our noses register as “scents.”
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1. The indole group has flowers smelling like and resembling decayed meat or
carrion, such as the skunk cabbage (Lysichiton) and a wake-robin (Trillium erectum), and attracts dung flies for pollination. 2. The aminoid group also smells unpleasant to attract flies, smelling of decayed fish or ammonia, and includes many umbel flowers, such as giant fennel. 3. The heavy group smells similar to the last, only sweeter, and includes some of the oldest known fragrant flowers, such as some lilies and narcissus.
4. The aromatic group has some of the most pleasantly scented flowers with scents of vanilla, balsam, almond, and cloves, such as in some primroses, peonies, stocks, and pinks. 5. The violet group and smell is, of course, present in violets. Smelling of damp woodland moss, it attracts no insects, as the flowers are selfpollinating. 6. The rose group is pleasant and found in roses in addition to some peonies and scented geraniums. 7. The lemon group is more often found
in leaves but also in some water lilies and evening primroses. 8. The fruit-scented group includes many roses and some minor bulbs. 9. The animal-scented group usually is unpleasant and may smell of musk, as in some roses; human perspiration, as in valerian and ox-eye daisy; and animal fur, as in crown imperial. 10. The honey-scented group is similar to the last, only sweeter and often more pleasant. Some examples are the butterfly bush (Buddleia), showy stonecrop (Sedum spectabile), and meadowsweet (Filipendula). As seen in most of these flower-scent groups, insects or pollinators are the main reason for scent. It basically attracts pollinators specifically needed to
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pollinate a flower, and at the right time. Usually if a flower is not ready or is past the time for pollination, or has been pollinated, it won’t have much fragrance. If a flower is fragrant at night, odds are that it is pollinated by moths or even bats. Sweet scents generally attract bees
and flies for pollination, while those with fruity or musty-smelling flowers may attract flies or beetles for pollination. While a species of plant may have fragrance, some of its highly bred offspring may not. These cultivars (cultivated varieties) may have been bred
for other traits instead, such as flower size, shape, or disease resistance. Roses are a good example of such a plant. Often, where there are many cultivars to choose from—as with roses, peonies, daffodils, or crabapples—only some will have fragrant flowers. Fragrant summer perennials include
bearded iris early in the season, tall garden phlox later on as well as some of the oriental lilies, and lavender (where hardy). Dr. Leonard P. Perry is an extension professor at the University of Vermont.
CDC Urges You to Stay Cool When Temps Soar The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is urging people to prepare for extreme heat this summer by staying cool, hydrated, and informed. “No one should die from a heat wave, but every year on average, extreme heat causes 658 deaths in the United States— more than tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and lightning combined,” said Robin Ikeda, MD, MPH, acting director of the National Center for Environmental Health and Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry. Extreme heat can lead to very high body temperatures, brain and organ damage, and even death. People suffer heat-related illness when their bodies are
unable to compensate and cool themselves properly. Extreme heat affects everyone, but the elderly, children, the poor or homeless, persons who work or exercise outdoors, and those with chronic medical conditions are most at risk. An analysis of 2012 data indicates that deaths are on the rise. In a two-week period in 2012, excessive
Resource Directory Eye Care Services Leader Heights Eye Center 309 Leader Heights Road,York (717) 747-5430
Animal Hospitals Community Animal Hospital Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M. 400 S. Pine St.,York (717) 845-5669
Gastroenterology Gastroenterology Associates of York 2690 Southfield Drive,York (717) 484-2143
Coins & Currency Steinmetz Coins & Currency 2861 E. Prospect Road,York (717) 757-6980 Energy Assistance Low-Income Energy Assistance (717) 787-8750 Entertainment Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster (717) 898-1900
Health & Medical Services Alzheimer’s Association (717) 651-5020 Alzheimer’s Information Clearinghouse (800) 367-5115 American Diabetes Association (800) 342-2383 CONTACT Helpline (717) 652-4400 The National Kidney Foundation (800) 697-7007 or (717) 757-0604 Social Security Information (800) 772-1213
CDC recommends that local governments engage in advanced planning, such as increasing access to air conditioning, cooling stations, or other public locations that can be used by residents for temporary relief from heat, particularly when temperatures are elevated for several consecutive days. CDC is offering new resources, including a new website to prepare for extreme heat, new data on heat-related emergency room visits and hospitalizations, and a Climate Change and Extreme Heat Events guidebook. For more information on extreme heat and heat safety, call (800) CDC-INFO or visit www.cdc.gov/extremeheat.
This Resource Directory recognizes advertisers who have made an extended commitment to your health and well-being.
Adult Day Centers SeniorLIFE 1500 Memory Lane Ext.,York (814) 535-6000
Automobile Sales/Service Gordon’s Body Shop, Inc. 10 Mill St., Stewartstown (717) 993-2263
heat exposure resulted in 32 deaths in four states, four times the typical average for those states for the same twoweek period from 1999-2009. More than twothirds of the deaths (69 percent) occurred at home, and 91 percent of those homes lacked air conditioning. Most of those who died were unmarried or living alone, and 72 percent were male.
Healthcare Information PA HealthCare Cost Containment (717) 232-6787
Insurance – Long-Term Care Apprise Insurance Counseling (717) 771-9610 or (800) 632-9073
Home Care Services Visiting Angels Living Assistance Services (717) 630-0067 – Hanover (717) 751-2488 – York
Pharmacies CVS/pharmacy www.cvs.com
Home Improvement Kitchen Tune-Up 122 Strayer Drive, Carlisle (717) 422-5741
Salon Services Trimmer’s Hair & Nail Care 112 Brittany Court, Red Lion (717) 246-4844 Services
Housing/Apartments Elm Spring Residence 118 Pleasant Acres Road,York (717) 840-7676 Housing Assistance Housing Authority of York (717) 845-2601 Property Tax/Rent Rebate (888) 728-2937
SeniorLIFE 1500 Memory Lane Ext.,York (717) 757-5433 York County Area Agency on Aging (800) 632-9073 Veterans Services Lebanon VA Medical Center 1700 S. Lincoln Ave., Lebanon (717) 228-6000 or (800) 409-8771
York Area Housing Group 118 N. George St.,York (717) 846-5139
Not an all-inclusive list of advertisers in your area.
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July 2013
Tales of Glenn Ford Nick Thomas f you’re a fan of old movies, “I have every letter he ever received you’ll recognize what the classics and copies of letters he wrote. I have Gilda, Blackboard Jungle, The his baby teeth, the lock of hair from Courtship of Eddie’s Father, and his first haircut, the dish he used as a Fastest Gun Alive all have in baby, and every report card from common: Glenn Ford. Oddly school. There [were] also thousands enough, though he appeared in of photographs and thousands of around 100 feature films, the first books. biography on Ford was only published in 2011. Ford’s son, Peter, authored Glenn Ford: A Life and talked about his dad and the book, which is an insightful Hollywood bio filled with stories of one of film’s most underappreciated actors. In addition to acting, Ford had a number of other interests, including Photo credit: Peter Ford a great fondness for women, which Peter Ford, center, with his parents, Eleanor Powell and Glenn Ford. Peter approaches with objective candor without ever turning the book into a trashy memoir. “He’s perceived by the public as a Jimmy Stewart—a wholesome, allAmerican guy,” Peter told me. “He was that, but he also had a lot of Errol Flynn in him. In reviewing all my sources, I counted 146 women he had a dalliance with, including Marilyn Monroe.” Those sources included Ford’s Ford with Rita Hayworth in Gilda (1946). own writings. “My father kept a diary every day of his life since 1933, and I have every one of them. So there was an enormous amount of material there,” explained Peter. “If you picked any day since then, I could tell you what he had for breakfast, where he went, what he did, what he thought, who he talked to, etc.” Glenn Ford was also a packrat of monumental proportions. When Ford Photo credit: Peter Ford died in 2006, Peter says he donated Ford, right, with Peter Ford on many of his father’s personal items to the set of Heaven with a Gun charities. Other items he sold, (1969). including a piano given to Ford by Judy Garland, a slot machine from “Wherever he went, he would Frank Sinatra, and a couch on which take scraps of paper and write his he “entertained” Monroe. thoughts. Often, he would stick In fact, an auction house hauled these randomly in books, along with off two 26-foot-long trucks filled with letters, Christmas cards, and even “stuff ”—and that still barely touched money.” the surface of the contents of Ford’s Peter donated hundreds of those 9,000-square-foot home in Beverly books to libraries but had to check Hills. each one in case his father had left “He saved everything,” said Peter. some long-forgotten treasure within
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its pages. In one, he found many letters from singer Sophie Tucker. Another Ford “hobby” was to secretly record telephone conversations. In the late 1950s, Ford, unbeknownst to his family and friends, installed a phone tap on the family’s phone. After his father died, Peter discovered hundreds of old reel-to-reel and cassette recordings of celebrities and politicians. “He has some of President Richard Nixon,” said Peter with a chuckle. “Isn’t that ironic? The most infamous taper himself getting taped!” Maybe we now know where Tricky Dick got the idea! Peter also recalls childhood Sunday-morning walks with his dad along Santa Monica Boulevard. The two would often stop under a leafy fichus tree, and Ford would ask his son if he wanted some chewing gum. Adept at sleight-of-hand tricks, Ford would appear to pull some chewing gum from the tree, leading young Peter to believe there really was such a thing as a “gum tree.” In another story, Peter remembers flying in a private plane with his dad to Cody, Wyo., for the dedication of the Buffalo Bill Museum. The ceremony culminated with a live buffalo dangling in a harness from a helicopter, flying over the crowd. But as the pilot hovered above the assembled dignitaries, the terrified animal’s bladder and bowels proved somewhat unstable. When combined with the downward force of the chopper’s rotor blades, Peter says it was a most memorable event! Glenn Ford was a complex man, which led to difficulties and intricacies in his professional and personal lives. Peter’s revelations about his dad—as well as his mom, the great dancer Eleanor Powell— provide a fascinating glimpse of the golden age of Hollywood. Thomas’ features and columns have appeared in more than 300 magazines and newspapers, and he is the author of Raised by the Stars, published by McFarland. He can be reached at his blog: http://getnickt.blogspot.com
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The Way I See It
Community Animal Hospital
Birthday Thoughts
Our caring, well-trained staff will treat you and your pet like family
Donald A. Sloat, D.V.M.
Michael Schindler, V.M.D. Mike Clark celebrated my 62nd birthday on April 29, and I am still having trouble understanding how I could be two years immersed in my sixth decade. When I think about birthdays, I can’t remember a time when I said, “I wish I could be in my 60s.” I do remember saying that I wish I could be 21, for all the obvious reasons. I even thought that 30 was pretty good. By then I had a good job; I was married; I had a newborn son and a daughter two years later; I had a house and an inexpensive new car; and I felt that things were going well. It was hectic and chaotic, though. When I hit my 40s, things had begun to go wrong. I mean, I had been in my job for 12 years and I was actually making some money. A couple of bucks left over after household expenses were paid hinted that I was getting somewhere. But some serious health problems interfered with our lives by the time I was 43, and a couple of years later, the teenagers living in our home were overcome by hormonal madness and an omnipotent wisdom of all things that ever were and ever shall be. Controlling the demonic forces turned me into an unrecognizable figure of a man. Did I say there was anger? Oh, yes, and it was a righteous anger. With the patience of a saint, I taught both of my children to drive. And when each one passed their driver’s test, I was almost willing to buy each a good car and provide a year’s rent somewhere on the opposite side of the country. “Get there safely but get there as fast as you can,” I wanted to say, “and don’t come back until you realize how smart your mom and I actually are.” I remember when I was a teenager
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how folks who were the age that I am now would say, “Enjoy being young. Each new year flies by faster and faster.” And I would say, “Blah, blah, blah and blabbity, blabbity, blabbity.” Just like my teenagers, I knew everything. How frivolous and carefree and invincible I was. It’s the universal story of youth, isn’t it? I told my brother the other day that my new favorite song is “Yesterday, When I Was Young” by Roy Clark. Listen to it; you’ll see what I mean. A faded celebrity singer said one time on a talk show that there wasn’t one darned thing that was good about getting old. I suppose that’s true for once-famous people who have lost their luster and have been forgotten by the public. But I have never been famous or widely known by the public. Getting older for a regular guy like me is just routine; I have no delusions or flashbacks of glory. Look, I’m not saying that getting older is a dream. The inevitable loss of youth can be difficult. Many of you already know it; many more soon will. In sad resignation, I have often said good riddance to much of the foolishness and turmoil of that earlier time, while in my heart I yearn for one more stab at it. I don’t ever remember saying that I wish I could be in my 60s, but I sure hope I can be in my 70s. The alternative is difficult to ponder. Mike Clark writes a regular column for The Globe Leader newspaper in New Wilmington, Pa. He lives outside Columbia, Pa., and can be contacted at mikemac429@aol.com.
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Tips to Avoid New Scams Targeting Seniors While we are all taught to use good manners when answering the telephone, not everyone who calls you necessarily has good intentions. According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a recent spate of lottery scams or advance-fee frauds originating in Jamaica are targeting seniors and other Americans by telephone. While the Jamaican and U.S. governments have teamed to tighten laws and combat the problem, it’s important to guard against becoming the next victim. Knowing the difference between legitimate telemarketers and scammers is crucial. Protect yourself by taking the following precautions: • Never pay money to collect supposed sweepstakes winnings. Legitimate operations won’t require you to pay to collect winnings. It’s against U.S. law to play foreign lotteries. If you get a call saying you’ve won one, it’s probably a scam. • Never wire money to anyone you don’t know.
• Ignore unsolicited calls from anyone, even charities and companies with whom you already do business. You have no way to confirm the caller is legitimate. Even caller ID can be faked. When in doubt, just hang up. • Place your telephone number on the National Do Not Call Registry. It’s fast and free. Visit www.DoNotCall.gov or add your number to the registry by calling (888) 382-1222 from the phone you wish to register. • Check unfamiliar area codes before returning calls. Be aware that there are many three-digit area codes that connect callers to international telephone numbers.
• If you don’t make international calls, ask your telephone provider to block incoming and outgoing international calls. • Never provide anyone with personal information, such as bank accounts, PINs, or Social Security numbers.
If you feel pressured, hang up. You’ve spent a lifetime earning your money. You deserve time to choose how to spend it. • Help others from falling victim to scammers by warning friends and family. If you’ve received a call, mail, or email you think might be from a scammer, report it to the Federal Trade Commission by calling (877) FTCHELP—(877) 382-4357—or contact local authorities.
• If callers insist on speaking with you, tell them you’ll call them directly. Don’t take a number offered by a potential fraudster. You’re safer looking up the number independently.
“The Jamaican government is resolved to successfully combat this scourge. We have put in place both legislative and operational measures that will ensure that persons who prey on vulnerable seniors are held accountable,” said Peter Bunting, Jamaica’s minister of national security, who is working with U.S. officials to stop new Jamaican lottery scams. You don’t have to live in fear to avoid being a victim. By becoming informed of the latest tactics used by scammers to defraud consumers, you can protect yourself and your finances.
• Scammers often create false deadlines.
(StatePoint)
• Prevent criminals from accessing your money. Contact your bank, brokerages, and the Social Security Administration to add a password to your accounts.
Who Has the Best Bites in Central PA? 50plus Senior News readers have spoken! Here are the York County dining favorites for 2013!
Harrisburg’s Oldies Channel!
Breakfast: Alexander’s Family Restaurant
Fast Food: McDonald’s
Lunch: Isaac’s Famous Grilled Sandwiches Village at Meadowbrook
Seafood: Red Lobster
Dinner: Ruby Tuesday
• Breakfast with Ben Barber and News with Dennis Edwards • John Tesh with Music and Intelligence for Your Workday • Bruce Collier & The Drive Home
Find us at AM 960 or at whylradio.com
WE PLAY OVER 1500 GREAT SONGS! 6
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Ethnic Cuisine: Guo’s Imperial Gourmet Celebrating: Great American Saloon Bakery: Giant Food Stores Coffeehouse: Starbucks
Steak: Logan’s Roadhouse Outdoor Dining: White Rose Bar & Grill Romantic Setting: John Wright Restaurant Smorgasbord/Buffet: Old Country Buffet Caterer: Giant Food Stores
Winner of $50 Giant Food Stores Gift Card: Linda Farley of East Berlin Congratulations!
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Variety of Volunteers Needed Heartland Hospice in York is seeking volunteers, at least 18 years old, who are interested in making a difference in the lives of others. The mission of Heartland Hospice is to provide quality care to patients with a limited life expectancy. Volunteer opportunities for as few as two to three hours a week or eight to 12 hours a month include: Visitors – friendly visiting in residential homes: reading, talking to, or holding hands with patients while their caregivers run errands or go to appointments. Also, friendly visiting in nursing homes reading to patients. Music visitors – Join Voices of Love, a group of volunteers who visit patients in assisted living and in nursing homes to entertain and sing to bring joy and comfort. Vigil volunteers – Visitors that sit with patients during the last 48-72 hours of a patient’s life to offer comfort by reading, playing music, or singing softly.
Cookie or cake enthusiasts – bake cookies or cakes for patients with a sweet tooth. Delivery – deliver cards, cookies, cakes, or crafts and offer a warm hello to patients. Pet therapy dog visitors – friendly visiting with your certified pet therapy dog in residential or nursing homes with patients. Office volunteers – Clerical volunteers with filing, phone, and/or computer skills must be detail oriented and available during office hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free volunteer training sessions will be held soon. Please call ASAP to attend the next training. For additional information or to register for training, call the volunteer coordinator, Robin Shaffer, at (717) 840-1002 or toll-free at (866) 274-5031.
Today’s Seniors Hear Better The prevalence of hearing impairment in adults 65–74 years old is lower now than it was 40 years ago, according to a study funded by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders and published in the May 2012 issue of Ear and Hearing. The findings are consistent with the researchers’ earlier discovery that younger adults are hearing much better than their grandparents did at their age. The new study analyzed audiometric data (hearing tests) collected in 1999–2006 and compared them to similar data for adults 65–74 years of age collected 40 years earlier in 1959–1962. Hearing impairment in adults in this age group dropped from 48 percent in 1959–1962 to 36 percent in 1999–2006. Hence, the researchers concluded the rate of hearing impairment for adults who are currently 65–74 years of age is 25 percent better than it was for adults of the same age 40 years ago. “It’s difficult to explain why this decrease in hearing impairment occurred, since the two age groups we looked at were born in the decades circa www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
1890 and 1930,” said Howard Hoffman, NIDCD epidemiologist and lead author of the paper. “They became adults before the general availability of antibiotics to treat childhood ear infections or the widespread introduction of vaccines, which have since greatly reduced the incidence of common childhood diseases, such as measles and mumps, that may result in permanent hearing loss.” The researchers suggest instead that the improvement in hearing may owe less to advances in medical treatments and more to incremental advances made in public health (for example, sanitation and safer and healthier foods), education, and transportation in the first half of the 20th century. More specific reasons for the improvement may include safer working conditions, fewer noisy jobs and more use of hearing protection, less smoking, better control of infectious diseases, and, more recently, improved control of diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors. Source: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Whether they’re looking for a new home Or the help needed to stay in their old one — Will your services come to mind?
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Traveltizers
Travel Appetizers: Stories that Whet the Appetite for Travel
Crafting the Roads and History of New Hampshire honda Besaw carefully places three small pouches on her dining room table. They are meticulously adorned with very tiny beads. One has three flowers, another has a geometric design, and the third—my favorite—has sparkles of light that swirl across a black background. Besaw explains that the sparkles represent her people as they cross over the Milky Way to a place where they will be reborn. Besaw’s people are the Abenaki, a tribe that has lived in southern Quebec and northern New England since before the beginning of oral history. Yet many people are unfamiliar with their culture and contributions. Besaw, an award-winning Native artist whose work is regularly shown in galleries throughout the Northeast, is on a mission to change this. “The Abenaki are still here,” she says. “Through these beads, I hope to share the story of our survival.”
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Crafting takes people along the back roads, where scenes like this abound.
Award-winning artist Rhonda Besaw uses beads to tell stories of her people.
Dartmouth history professor Jere Daniell calls Hillsborough “a quintessential New Hampshire town.”
My husband and I are visiting Besaw in her home, which is in a small village in the north woods of New Hampshire. The drive took us through the Notch, an area where you can’t communicate by cell phone but where you can—if you’re good at this sort of thing—talk with moose and bear. We were, in all respects, on a “road less traveled,” and this, for us, is part of the joy of “crafting,” a word that we coined more than 20 years ago. Crafting is the art of getting to know a place—its history, its traditions, its people—through its handmade objects. New Hampshire is the perfect place for this type of travel. In 1932 it became the first state to officially support its artists by establishing The League of New Hampshire Arts and Crafts, and the state’s craft tradition—which includes Native, Colonial, Shaker, and contemporary work—is among the nation’s finest. Besaw’s work includes beaded bags, moccasins, leggings, and drool-worthy
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necklaces and earrings. Her images are not reproductions of traditional designs but rather interpretations of ancient themes. In this way she passes on not only stories of her ancestors, but also their spirits. Our quest to glimpse New Hampshire’s colonial heritage takes us to Hillsborough Center, a town that is New England to its core, right down to the white-steepled church and stacked-stone fences. Jon Gibson, a second-generation pewterer, greets us with a smile. “I’ll show you the old schoolhouse, and then we’ll go into my studio,” he says. This is how we come to spend the morning in a 200-year-old schoolhouse as well as in an equally old post-andbeam barn, all the while learning about a craft that was essential to the daily life of the early settlers. I pick up a porringer and admire its decorative handle. “Paul Revere worked in silver rather than pewter, but he made some of the most famous colonial porringers,” says Gibson. The Museum of Fine Arts in Boston has in its collection several pieces made by Paul Revere as well as a few items made by Jon Gibson, a fact of which
Jon Gibson uses an old lathe to make pewter vessels in the traditional way.
Arched stone bridges near Hillsborough are examples of the dry-laid masonry that is a hallmark of what is aptly nicknamed “The Granite State.”
Sumner Bennett recalls New Hampshire’s Shaker tradition as he makes sets of nested boxes.
Gibson is rightfully proud. Some of Gibson’s pieces—which include bowls, plates, mugs, tankards, and candleholders—are cast, some are hammered, and some are spun on an antique lathe. From Hillsborough Center we travel to Amherst, where we meet Sumner Bennett, who painstakingly crafts individually fabricated Shaker boxes. The
Shakers, who arrived in the colonies in the late 1700s, believed in devoting their “hands to work and their hearts to God,” and thus became known for items that were made with utmost love and precision. I look at a set of oval nested boxes, perhaps the most well known of the Shaker crafts, and quickly realize the necessity for such precision. The top of
each box must not only fit snuggly onto the bottom of its handcrafted mate, but each box must also be sized to fit into the next larger one. Bennett makes sets that consist of up to 10 nested boxes. He is relaxed as he demonstrates the various steps required to make the boxes, from preparing the wood to cutting the ovals and distinctive finger-shaped joints that keep the boxes from buckling. As with Besaw and Gibson, Bennett’s willingness to share his knowledge, both technical and historical, gives me insight into the past, teaching me not only how people lived, but also how they thought. Like all our crafting journeys, we run out of time much too soon. There are more crafts to explore, more history to learn. We haven’t even begun to delve into the state’s thriving contemporary art scene. For that, we’ll have to return. The Annual League of NH Craftsmen’s Fair, which showcases the work of more than 350 craftspeople, takes place this year Aug. 3–11. Rhonda Besaw: www.rhondabesaw.com Jon Gibson: www.gibsonpewter.com Sumner Bennett: www.sbshakerbox.com Other NH craftspeople: www.nhcrafts.org Photos © Irv Green unless otherwise noted; story by Andrea Gross (www.andreagross.com).
Does Your Marketing Reach Active, Affluent Boomers & Seniors? Reserve Your Space Now for the 11th Annual:
September 18, 2013 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. York Expo Center • Memorial Hall East • 334 Carlisle Avenue, York
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Salute to a Veteran
From His Cruiser, He Saw Hundreds of Bodies Floating on the Sea Robert D. Wilcox hen Vernon Barker was still a junior in high school in 1943, he enlisted in the Navy. His brother had joined the Navy earlier and had told him about the high adventure of life aboard ship. And we were at war, and everybody else seemed to be going, so he couldn’t wait to become a sailor himself and see some of that action. He sure got his wish, since he later served in most of the major invasions of the war in the Pacific. His boot camp was at Naval Station Great Lakes in northern Illinois. Then he was sent to Newport News, where he was assigned to a brand-new light cruiser, the USS Mobile. In those days, the Navy was scrambling to build and man the hundreds of ships it would take to stand up to the powerful Japanese navy. So crews were being sent into combat as quickly as combat ships could
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come on line. After a shakedown cruise in the Chesapeake Bay to check out the ship’s guns, radio, and many other systems, the Mobile sailed through the Panama Canal to Hawaii, arriving there in June 1943. After a month of training, they were deemed ready for combat and joined Task Force 58 for a July 4 raid on Marcus Island, an
Vernon Barker in boot camp at Naval Station Great Lakes.
isolated Japanese coral atoll some 1,150 miles southeast of Tokyo. It was the easternmost territory belonging to Japan. And, although it was small, it was of extreme importance to Japan. Admiral William F. “Bull” Halsey had spurred his men on by saying, “We’re going to show
the Japanese what the Fourth of July is all about.” And they did, pelting the island with everything they had. The Mobile then joined the fifth fleet for the Gilberts campaign. There, she screened the ships of Task Force 15 as they struck at Tarawa Atoll in the first offensive in the critical central Pacific region. It was also the first time in the war that the United States faced serious Japanese opposition to an amphibious landing. The 4,500 Japanese defenders were well supplied and well prepared, and they fought almost to the last man. Barker remembers it best for the shock that came to him one morning when he went to go on deck for a little fresh air. “All I could see was bodies floating all over the place,” he said. “Tarawa was so small that they had no place to bury the Japanese, so they took the bodies out to
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sea 5 or 6 miles and dumped them into the sea.” Barker manned a 40-mm gun position that helped defend his ship from air attack, and in all the campaigns they were involved in, air attack was continuous. His ship’s major responsibility was to soften up the Japanese defenses against amphibious assault. After Tawara came Wake, Bougainville, and Kwajalein, where the Mobile performed fire support and carrier-screening duties. Joining Task Force 58, she pounded major enemy bases at Eniwetok and Rabaul, and then helped devastate Truk, the base of the Japanese combined fleet. Then they sailed for the Marianna Islands, where they struck Saipan, Tinian, and Guam. By March 24, Mobile’s first anniversary, she had steamed more than 70,000 miles and participated in 11 major operations against the enemy. But after having supported Allied landings in New Guinea and shelled Wake Island, they were to face something new and deadly. While raiding in the Philippines and Peleliu, they, for the first time, were attacked by kamikazes, day and night. They were the aircraft that unskilled Japanese pilots
tried to fly into kamikaze flights were American ships and flown by the Japanese installations. to sink 34 American Later, the Mobile ships and damage 164 faced the Kaiten oneothers. But naval man submarines, gunfire was used which, like the longer and in greater kamikazes, were quantities than in any guided by their pilots other battle in The light cruiser USS Mobile, to certain death. They history. on which Vernon Barker served in were launched from After 82 days, the World War II. larger submarines, Okinawan campaign and once in the was officially declared Kaiten, the pilot could not unlock the over on July 2, 1945, but to achieve that, hatches. He was to exchange his life for more ships were used, more troops put whatever damage he could do. Japan ashore, more supplies transported, more produced several hundred of those death bombs dropped, more Naval guns fired traps during the war. against shore targets than in any other The last action for the Mobile was the operation in the Pacific. invasions of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. On both sides, nearly 170,000 died. Barker remembers seeing the famous flag The Japanese lost 7,800 aircraft and 16 raised on Iwo Jima and the particularly combat ships. And we now had a base savage battle for Okinawa, where some for the planned invasion of the Japanese 100,000 Japanese troops were dug-in in mainland. caves, cement tombs, and fortifications, Then the U.S. dropped the two Awell protected from the pre-invasion bombs, and the war was over. bombardment. Barker says, “Truman was right to The invasion would see the drop the A-bomb, because the projected assembling of the greatest naval armada loss of life in attacking the Japanese ever. In total, the American fleet of more mainland was monumental.” than 1,300 ships gathered for the naval The Mobile returned to San Diego, bombardment of the island. and Barker was discharged at Great During the invasion, nearly 1,500 Lakes on Feb. 23, 1946. He later came
1 in 5 Adults Meet Physical Activity Guidelines About 20 percent of U.S. adults are meeting both the aerobic and musclestrengthening components of the federal government’s physical activity recommendations, according to a report published recently in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The data are based on self-reported information from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, an annual phone survey of adults aged 18 and over conducted by state health departments. The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 2.5 hours a week of moderateintensity aerobic activity, such as walking; or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging; or a combination of both. The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities, such as pushups, sit-ups, or activities using resistance bands or weights. These activities should involve all major muscle groups and be done on two or more days per week. www.50plusSeniorNewsPA.com
The report finds that nationwide nearly 50 percent of adults are getting the recommended amounts of aerobic activity and about 30 percent are engaging in the recommended musclestrengthening activity. “Although only 20 percent of adults are meeting the overall physical activity recommendations, it is encouraging that half the adults in the United States are meeting the aerobic guidelines and a third are meeting the musclestrengthening recommendations,” said Carmen D. Harris, M.P.H, epidemiologist in CDC’s physical activity and health branch. The report also found differences among states and the District of Columbia. The rates of adults meeting the overall guidelines ranged from 27 percent in Colorado to 13 percent in Tennessee and West Virginia. The West (24 percent) and the Northeast (21 percent) had the highest proportion of adults who met the guidelines. Women, Hispanics, older adults, and obese adults were all less likely to meet the guidelines.
to Central Pennsylvania to visit his sister, Eileen, and there he met his future wife, Gloria. He liked Central Pennsylvania, too, so he decided to stay. Thinking back over his days in the Navy, he says he saw more combat than he could ever have imagined. That had earned him the Asiatic-Pacific Ribbon with 12 Battle Stars and the Philippines Liberation Medal with two Stars. He’s proud of that … and truly thankful that he came through it all in one piece. Colonel Wilcox flew a B-17 bomber in Europe in World War II.
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Calendar of Events
York County
York County Department of Parks and Recreation
Senior Center Activities
Pre-registration is required for these programs. To register or find out more about these activities or any additional scheduled activities, call (717) 428-1961.
Delta Area Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 456-5753
July 18 and 25, 6:30 p.m. – Archaeology Programs, Agricultural and Industrial Museum July 27, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. – Panning for Gold Program, Spring Valley County Park July 27, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; July 28, noon to 4 p.m. – Butterfly Weekend, Nixon County Park
Eastern Area Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 252-1641 Golden Visions Senior Community Center (717) 633-5072
York County Library Programs
Heritage Senior Center, Inc. – (717) 292-7471
Arthur Hufnagel Public Library of Glen Rock, 32 Main St., Glen Rock, (717) 235-1127
Northeastern Senior Community Center (717) 266-1400
Collinsville Community Library, 2632 Delta Road, Brogue, (717) 927-9014 Tuesdays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Purls of Brogue Knitting Club Dillsburg Area Public Library, 17 S. Baltimore St., Dillsburg, (717) 432-5613 Dover Area Community Library, 3700-3 Davidsburg Road, Dover, (717) 292-6814 Glatfelter Memorial Library, 101 Glenview Road, Spring Grove, (717) 225-3220 Mondays, 6 to 8 p.m. – Knitting and Spinning Group
Red Land Senior Citizen Center – (717) 938-4649 South Central Senior Community Center (717) 235-6060 Weekdays, 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. – Wii Games Tuesdays, 12:30 p.m. – Staying Young Thursdays, 10 a.m. – Senior Bowling League
Kaltreider-Benfer Library, 147 S. Charles St., Red Lion, (717) 244-2032
Stewartstown Senior Center – (717) 993-3488 July 3 and 17, 1 p.m. – Card Party July 11, noon – Art Class July 15-20, 5:30 p.m. – Eureka Carnival, Senior Stand
Kreutz Creek Valley Library Center, 66 Walnut Springs Road, Hellam, (717) 252-4080
Susquehanna Senior Center – (717) 244-0340
Martin Library, 159 E. Market St., York, (717) 846-5300
White Rose Senior Center – (717) 843-9704 www.whiteroseseniorcenter.org
Guthrie Memorial Library, 2 Library Place, Hanover, (717) 632-5183
Mason-Dixon Public Library, 250 Bailey Drive, Stewartstown, (717) 993-2404 Paul Smith Library of Southern York County, 80 Constitution Ave., Shrewsbury, (717) 235-4313 Red Land Community Library, 48 Robin Hood Drive, Etters, (717) 938-5599
July 2, 7 p.m. Surviving Spouse Socials of York County Faith United Church of Christ 509 Pacific Ave., York (717) 266-2784
Yorktown Senior Center – (717) 854-0693 Please call or visit the centers’ websites for additional activities.
Village Library, 35-C N. Main St., Jacobus, (717) 428-1034
Programs and Support Groups
Windy Hill Senior Center – (717) 225-0733
Free and open to the public July 18, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Alzheimer’s Support Group Senior Commons at Powder Mill 1775 Powder Mill Road, York (717) 741-0961
July 16, 3 p.m. Caregiver Support Group Golden Visions Senior Community Center 250 Fame Ave., #125, Hanover (717) 633-5072
Give Us the Scoop! Please send us your press releases so we can let our readers know about free events occurring in York County!
If you have an event you would like to include, please email information to mjoyce@onlinepub.com for consideration.
Email preferred to: mjoyce@onlinepub.com
Let (717) 285-1350 Help you get the word out!
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CROSSWORD
Solutions for all puzzles can be found on page 14
WORD SEARCH
SUDOKU
Across 1. Funnyman 5. Energy-efficient transportation 10. Kind of meet 14. State categorically 15. Paradigm 16. Forum wear 17. Soupçon 18. Fetid 20. Role models 22. Degrees 23. Midnight medley? 24. Buckle under 26. Font style, for short Down 1. Bivouacs 2. Characteristic of birds 3. Rocket type 4. Most gloomy 5. Silver wattle 6. Land on the Strait of Hormuz 7. Erb’s ___ 8. Anima 9. Dickens character, Artful ___ 10. Violin name, for short 11. Cherry, e.g. 12. Malarial fever 13. Bridge option
28. 29. 32. 35. 37. 39. 40. 41. 42. 44. 45. 46.
Debate position Ginger Stumps, once High dudgeon Book of Ruth figure Men of the cloth, briefly Soft shoe Call it a day Novelist Loos Cole Porter’s “___ Clown” Ill-natured ___ de tête
19. 21. 25. 27. 29. 30. 31. 32. 33. 34.
Synthetic fiber Catches on Medicinal syrup Supple Decant Pianist Gilels Pathos Streetcar Rockfish “... there is no ___ angel but Love”: Shakespeare 36. Old World deer 38. Conduits 43. Took steps
47. 49. 51. 53. 57. 60. 62. 64. 65. 66. 67. 68. 69. 70.
Evita role Sugar source Ringo, for one Arena exhibitions Once-popular songs Flare-up Type of punch Designer Chanel ___ of Green Gables Door sign Bygone despot Fewer Squalid Dried-up
45. 48. 50. 51. 52. 54. 55. 56. 57. 58. 59. 61. 63.
Prig Chops up, as potatoes Major thoroughfare Trig functions Itinerary Notched Odd Couple character Salt away Nuncupative Kind of wolf Harasses for payment Expended Unified
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DRAFT
from page 1
Her positive mind has forged the way for a positive life. And her natural charisma may be what prompted so many women to join the Women’s Writing Circle that Weidener began in November 2009. The Women’s Writing Circle began out of Weidener’s hope and dream of finding kindred spirits who could connect as a community of writers. “It is very important when you are a writer to ease the loneliness and isolation of the work and find a community of likeminded souls,” Weidener said. “All of these women have given me a new lease on life.” The group of women meets on the second Saturday of each month at a local bookshop. They share their writing with each other and offer support and validation—things essential to any writer’s success, both in their careers and as individuals. “The emphasis is on how writing can lead to healing, self-discovery, and empowerment,” she said. To merely say that Weidener loves writing would be an injustice to her true feelings, as she loves every aspect of it— “even the blood, sweat, and tears” that go into it. “I found that writing was a journey into the soul—a path to self-discovery,
as well as a way to develop understanding and empathy for others,” she said. “When you put on paper what has tormented you, you take away the power of painful memories and put them behind you.” Weidener is quick to point out that the group meets to connect not only as writers, but also as wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends sharing their journeys. The group has since evolved into a monthly critique session with a concentration on developing pieces of writing for potential publication, explains Weidener. Workshops have also been formed from the Women’s Writing Circle, where the focus is on the craft and alchemy of writing. The group recently published an anthology of stories and poems, called Slants of Light: Stories and Poems From the Women’s Writing Circle. The anthology can be purchased in some local bookstores or at Amazon.com, and it will be available as an e-book on Aug. 1. Weidener brought in outside workshop instructors to teach on topics like fiction and memoir writing and journaling. She shares her own skills and experiences as well. Weidener worked as
a news and feature writer for The Philadelphia Inquirer before leaving the paper in 2007. While she is committed to freely cheering others on in their journeys—no matter what age they may be—Weidener has also been so bold as to share her own life journey in its rawest form in two memoirs. Her first book, Again in a Heartbeat, was published in 2010—the same year that she turned 60. It is a memoir of love, loss, and dating again. Weidener has not remarried since losing her husband but still dates occasionally. “I never met a man as strong or as confident, as kind and as honorable as John,” said Weidener. “What has kept me going since John’s death is the memory of how he believed in me, my strength as a woman, and he never doubted for an instant that I could raise his sons on my own.” She learned a lot about herself as she wrote Again in a Heartbeat and hopes the book can help anyone who is going through the loss of a loved one. “When a person we love has cancer, or any chronic illness, we may not always live up to our own set of personal standards,” she explained. “My anger and grief should not have been directed
at my husband for dying but at the cancer and how the disease impacted our family, our two little boys, and my own naïve dream of a happily-ever-after.” She points out in the book that when a person you love is dying, they will often distance themselves from you. “It would have helped me at the time if I had had someone to talk about it and why I felt so abandoned by him.” Weidener’s second memoir, Morning at Wellington Square, published in 2012, is the story of a woman’s search to find herself beyond traditional roles. She discusses the beginning of the Women’s Writing Circle and the end of her career as a journalist. Leaving the newspaper was painful in its own way; her time in the newsroom was so rewarding and felt like more of a calling than it did a job. “I am always amazed when I think of how an idea to start a writing circle has turned into a place where, over the last three and a half years, more than 200 women have read their work,” Weidener said. “Some come once or twice and don’t return to the circle, while others have been coming steadily for a year, two years, even three.” To follow the happenings of the Women’s Writing Circle, you may visit their blog at www.susanweidener.com.
DOH Investigating York County Dentist
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dental office, located at 1820 E. Market St. As a result, the Department of Health is recommending hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing for current or former patients who had dental procedures performed directly by Marcin, such as fillings, tooth removals, denture fittings, and other procedures. Testing is not currently advised for
patients who only received routine cleanings or checkups performed by other staff members. Patients should see their doctor to discuss testing options. “We have not received any related reports of disease transmission or illness at this time,” Secretary of Health Michael Wolf said. “However, as a precautionary measure, we are recommending current or former patients of Dr. Marcin get tested.”
The departments of Health and State conducted a joint, unannounced site visit of Marcin’s dental practice on April 24. The Pennsylvania State Board of Dentistry temporarily suspended Marcin’s dental license on April 29. A special, toll-free hotline has been set up by the Department of Health for this investigation. Marcin’s patients can call (855) 265-4613 for more information.
Puzzles shown on page 13
Puzzle Solutions
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is advising patients of a York County dentist that they might be at risk for infection after an investigation discovered the dental facility did not follow appropriate infection-control procedures. To date, the investigation has found Dr. Jacqueline A. Marcin did not follow appropriate procedure to properly clean, disinfect, or sterilize devices at her York
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NurseNews
Hospital Gowns Get a Redesign Gloria May, M.S., R.N., CHES K, maybe it isn’t in the same league as the invention of the microscope, the discovery of penicillin, or the formulation of vaccines, but the creation of the hospital gown that closes in the back will certainly be applauded by every patient who has ever had to wear one and who has had to reach, pull, or twist it just so he can get to the bathroom without exposing his rear end to the world. When I was caring for patients in the hospital, we often used two of those flimsy, thin cotton gowns on our patients, one tying in the back and the second one over it, tying in the front. The patients were not as exposed as Photos courtesy of Henry Ford Innovation Institute they were when they were forced to wear the single gown, and in addition, wearing two gowns made them feel a bit warmer. Sometimes we would let the patients bring pajama bottoms or boxer shorts from home and wear them under the gowns. The tie-in-the-back version of the gown is handy for nurses and doctors, as it provides easy access to the patient’s back and makes it quick and simple to, for instance, listen to a patient’s lungs or heart or to give an injection. And it makes it easier for the patient to use the bedpan if necessary. However, patients hate those darn gowns. And with good reason. And although they have provided fodder for cartoons for years, it’s time for them to go. I saw pictures of one kind of newly designed gown, and it looks more like a wrap-around spa bathrobe. It has a crisscross V-neck closure in the front and elbow-length sleeves. There are snaps
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instead of ties and, while it does close in the back, it also has an “access flap” from the neck down to the lower back. The particular gown I saw and read about was created at the Henry Ford Innovation Institute and is currently being used at a hospital in Detroit. So far, patient reviews have been positive. The goal now is getting the design licensed and sold to a manufacturer who can get this going on a grand scale. (I did a little research on the Internet and found that other designers and companies are working on this issue as well.) The current tie-in-the-back design goes back to the early 20th century, and while they were a great idea in a time when patients stayed flat in the bed much more than they do today, they haven’t changed much since then, and they certainly don’t offer any measure of privacy. And here’s another benefit of the spalike gown, beyond preserving patient dignity: The new gown is made of a thicker fabric, so using two gowns on patients who are cold (in addition to being embarrassed) would no longer be necessary, thus saving on the number of gowns the hospital needs to purchase. The manufacturing cost of the new gowns is comparable to those of the old ones, and yes, the new gowns launder up well. So, while it may not win the Nobel Prize, a gown that closes in the back will be dearly loved. Way to go, designers! Gloria May is a registered nurse with a master’s degree in adult health education and a Certified Health Education Specialist designation.
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You bring the talent, We’ll provide the stage! Do you dance … sing … play an instrument … perform magic … do comedy? Do you think you’ve got what it takes to be called PA STATE SENIOR IDOL? Then we’re looking for you!
Pennsylvanians over 50 are invited to audition for the eighth annual PA STATE SENIOR IDOL competition at one of these locations:
Tuesday, August 27
Thursday, September 5
Holiday Inn Harrisburg East
Heritage Hotel – Lancaster
4751 Lindle Road, Harrisburg, PA 17111
500 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601
(Morning/Early Afternoon Auditions)
(Afternoon/Evening Auditions)
Win a limousine trip to New York City with dinner and a Broadway show! Finals to be held on October 14, 2013 at: Dutch Apple Dinner Theatre 510 Centerville Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 • (717) 898-1900
For more information, updates, or an application:
911 Photo Graphics
717.285.1350 • www.SeniorIdolPA.com
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Emcee:
Diane Dayton of Dayton Communications
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